Never Lose Compassion

>> Happy Sunday. Today's verse from Proverbs seems to me unnecessary. My mind does not work like this. Well, it doesn't now.

In chapter 24 verses 17 and 18, we find a teaching that we should really never need. Hopefully, we're all too civilized to need this teaching. But sadly, this world really needs these words. What does Proverbs 24:17 and 18 teach?

Do not rejoice when your enemies fall and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble. Lest the Lord see it and be displeased and turn away his anger from them. Let me read it again. Do not rejoice when your enemies fall and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble.

Lest the Lord see it and be displeased and turn away his anger from them. I learned a word recently, a German word, Schadenfreude. It combines Schaden, meaning damage or harm, and Freude, meaning joy. The literal translation is harm joy.

Those words should not go together. Together, harm joy? One definition of Schadenfreude says that it is the feeling of joy or satisfaction you get when something bad happens to another person. Joy when something bad happens to another person.

How low can we sink? Proverbs is warning us to never lose our compassion. When people celebrate the downfall of others, they are dehumanizing their fellow man. And dehumanization allows people to bypass empathy and compassion, making it psychologically easier to feel relief or pleasure at the downfall of another.

We sink so far down. If we allow our hearts to get this cold, we are far from God. We forget these words from Genesis 1:27 about our fellow man. So God created mankind in his own image in the image of God he created them male female he created them.

Every individual is part of God's creation. God loves each and every one and we cannot allow politics or economics or feuds to unleash the hate of of satanic influence into our lives. A few weeks ago a young banker was stabbed to death in New York City. It was a random attack by a mentally challenged attacker.

After it occurred, there were people who actually rejoiced in the death of this young banker. How sad is this? Honestly, years ago I was hurt by the words of a church member. I never said a word to anyone.

In the back of my mind, I thought one day I'll stand at your grave. He was much older than I was. I was young and God was still working on me as he still is today. And years later when the man died, I took no satisfaction in his death.

I was not happy. I did not rejoice. I was sad. I was sad that I ever had a thought like that.

Jesus meant it when he said these words recorded in Matthew chapter 5. Jesus said, "You've heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you so that you may be children of your father in heaven.

For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and he sends rain on the righteous and also on the unrighteous. For if you love those who only love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others?

Do not the Gentiles do the same? That section of scripture ends with this challenge, be perfect therefore as your heavenly father is perfect. That's a tall order, yet it is so much better than those who hate and celebrate the downfall of others. Do not rejoice when your enemies fall and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble, lest the Lord see it and be displeased and turn away his anger from them.

That last part of verse 18, lest the Lord see it and be displeased his anger away from them, reminds us that God is watching and that he has high expectations of us and our actions towards all people. How should we act? Well, Jesus said this in John 13:35, by this everyone will know that you're my disciples if you have love for one another. Pray with me.

Lord, it's hard sometimes. It's hard to love everybody, but that's what you've told us to do. So, if we have ill will in our heart, help that to change. Help us to forgive.

Help us to never celebrate the downfall of another, but to be concerned about each and every one. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. God bless.

I hope you have a wonderful week.